


Counting Down the Days to Go

by UisceOneLove



Series: Dark Stony Bingo 2021 [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Cancer, Illnesses, M/M, Modern Steve Rogers, Morally Dubious Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, No Captain America, Steve Rogers is Not Captain America, Terminal Illnesses, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29968977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UisceOneLove/pseuds/UisceOneLove
Summary: Tony Stark has prepared for many things Invasions, kidnappings, alternate realities.But illness was not something he was prepared for.And not an illness he couldn't stop.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Dark Stony Bingo 2021 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193099
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24
Collections: SteveTony Acheronian Bingo 2021





	Counting Down the Days to Go

**Author's Note:**

> Dark Stony Bingo Card 1, Square: "Terminal Illness (Cancer)"

Natasha was the one who found him. She said nothing as she slid onto the barstool next to him, her presence saying enough for her. Tony was staring down his glass of whiskey, searching for answers at the bottom that weren't going to come.

"How is he?" he asked, bringing the glass up to let the amber-colored liquid pour into his mouth and flow down his throat. He welcomed the tingle it left behind and the slow release of the tether to sobriety. 

"Tired." Natasha slid a bottle of water in front of him and removed the whiskey from his hand. He hadn't heard her order it so she must have brought the water with her. "It took a lot out of him today."

Tony's fingers danced on the bar, not touching the bottle. "Where is he now?"

"His friend Bucky, along with Bruce, took him to the Tower," she answered. "Bruce thought it'd be a good idea to keep him nearby in case anything happened. Bucky texted me that he's asleep." 

Tony nodded absently and rubbed his face. That was good, that was-- that was as fine as it could be. Bruce would take care of him. 

Natasha didn't touch him but set her hand close enough to his that he could feel the heat coming from her. "Drink the water, Tony."

Tony dropped his other hand and curled it around the water bottle but didn't do anything further. "He deserves better than me, Nat."

"Deprecation is never a good look on you," she replied. "It also does nothing to help him."

"I was prepared, you know?" Tony barreled on. "We all knew. Dating someone who's not like us would put them at risk. I tried, you  _ know _ I fucking tried, Nat. All the security installments, convincing him to move in with me, the armor I was going to surprise him with. I was ready for it to be AIM or Justin Hammer or MODOK, someone or something that would be because of us."

Natasha hummed, choosing to observe and let Tony let it out. If he was paying attention enough to notice that then he would be thankful. He pinched the bridge of his nose, fingers digging into his tear ducts as if that would stop his eyes from watering again. 

"I was prepared for anything Iron Man-related," he said, "but I didn't prepare myself for the idea of something like  _ cancer _ getting to him first."

A hand on his back made Tony stiffen. He looked at Natasha and the way she could exude whatever she wanted even with her carefully manicured mask, and let himself relax into the rare touch she was offering. 

"Steve is a strong and healthy young man, Tony. He has a reason to fight. The worst outcome isn't the only outcome." 

Logically, Tony knew that. There were many factors and Steve was one of the kindest brick houses that he'd ever met. Steve had accepted the diagnosis head-on without batting an eye like it was a bug he could crush under his boot.

Steve won't go without a fight. But Tony was still terrified. 

"How much does he hate me for not coming?" Tony made himself pick up the water bottle and screw the cap off to guzzle it down. 

The redhead next to him flashed a sharp smile. "He doesn't."

Tony scoffed. "Of course he doesn't, he's a sweetheart who doesn't realize that it's okay not to forgive someone for being an asshole." 

"That is a conversation that you two should have without a proxy."

"You're probably right. I'll get on that." 

"Yes," Natasha nodded, standing up, "you will."

Tony yelped when he was pulled off his stool, feet scrambling as Natasha tossed money on the bar and dragged him outside. 

"I didn't think you mean  _ now _ !"

"If you expected me to wait until you reached peak inebriation then you've already drowned some of your brain cells. You can be really oblivious for a genius." Nat pulled him into an alleyway and hit the sensor on his Stark Watch to unleash his suit, stepping away until he was fully encased before she stepped up on the feet. "Start flying." 

Not wanting to incur Natasha's wrath any more than what's already been given, Tony listened and took off. Natasha held on like all the times she'd done it on Avengers missions, while he thought about when he'd first asked Steve if he wanted a ride.

_ Steve's eyes widened. "You want to take me flying?" he'd asked, gesturing to the suit, "In that?" _

_ "Told you we could go stargazing," Tony had replied with a cheeky grin. "Looks a lot more incredible from up there among them."  _

_ Curiosity and excitement bubbled up in the blond before he could shut it down into something more easygoing. "I guess you could."  _

_ Tony opened his arms and said, "Step on up, Steve." _

_ Steve had held on tight but was a rocket ready to explode when they were in the air, grinning and hollering with unadulterated joy. _

_ Watching the awe on Steve's face had sucker-punched Tony in the gut with the declaration of  _ **_I love this man._ **

Tony hovered on his landing of the Tower and lowered down softly, letting go of Natasha before the suit retreated back into the bracelet.

"Communal or private?" Tony checked, following her inside. 

"Bruce thought Steve would be more comfortable on your floor," she answered, taking her own direction towards the kitchen while he went to the elevator. 

"Jarvis?"

"Yes, Master Stark?"

Tony chewed on his lip. "How's Steve?"

The elevator stopped on his floor but he didn't make a move to get out. "Master Steve has been asleep on the couch for the last hour while Master Barnes and Master Bruce made him some tomato soup."

"It takes two people to heat up a can of Campbell's?" Tony remarked.

"They've made it from scratch, Sir."

"Way to make me look like an even bigger failure as a boyfriend," Tony muttered to himself, letting Jarvis open the doors and walking out. He could hear Brucie and James in the kitchen but he willed himself over to the extended couch where a figure was covered by layers of blankets. 

The chemo made Steve lose a lot of the broad size, muscles shrinking with the lack of the blond's regiment. Tony crouched down next to his boyfriend, eyeing the pale sheen of his face before reaching out and cupping his cheek. 

Steve made a quiet noise when Tony leaned in to brush his lips against his forehead. "Tony?" Steve said drowsily, making an effort to open his eyes. 

"I would hope so, apple pie," Tony replied, "if your Bucky over there's been giving you some action on the side we would have a big problem." 

The blond, who had shortened his hair to a buzzcut after the first sign of hair loss, turned his lips up. "How're you feeling?" he asked, taking a hand out of the blankets and grabbing onto Tony's.

Tony sighed, "I should be the one asking you that."

"Me? I can do this all day. I'm fine." 

"You're a terrible liar, Steve."

"Then don't avoid my question." 

"I'm--" Tony looked down at their hands. He traced along the back of Steve's. "This isn't my area of expertise, Steve. I'm not a doctor. I looked at everything I could and I'm just useless." 

"You're not useless, you're my boyfriend," Steve countered. "You're Iron Man and run one of the biggest industries in the country." 

"World," Tony correctly off-handedly. Steve gave him a stern look but it didn't last. 

"You do shit all of the time, Tony. All I need from you is to be here and tell me when you need your own space, too." 

Tony rested his chin on their hands, looking up at Steve. "I guess I can do that. I can try better. I'll be whatever you need me to be, Steve, I swear."

Steve closed his eyes with a warm smile. "I just need you to be my boyfriend."

"Okay," Tony nodded. "Okay." 

He watched Steve and the movement of his chest as it got deeper with sleep again. Tony will talk to Bruce, and Doctor Cho, and any other doctor he can find. He'll make sure Steve will receive nothing but the best care. 

But there was something else Tony could do.

"Jarvis?" he said under his breath. 

"Yes, Master Stark?" The AI responded from his watch.

"I want all the files on Project Extremis."

"Right away, Sir."

Tony Stark is more than a name. He'll support Steve. And he'll find everything he can to keep him alive. 

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation/Sequel: [Lifetime of Laughter (At the Expense of...)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/30002700)
> 
> Feed my dark soul with comments and kudos!!!


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